Saturday April 7, the Christian Palestinian Orthodox were celebrating Easter. Boys and girls scouts from all over the West Bank marched together in the streets of Ramallah to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Beating drums, trumpets and Scottish bagpipes filled the street as 15 marching bands paraded in front of an audience of thousands of Christians and Muslim Palestinians. During the hottest hour of the day, the spectators were lining the streets to attend the traditional Sabt Al-Nour parade marking Orthodox Easter.

The scouts gathered at Sarayyet Ramallah, the headquarters of the Ramallah scouts’ group hosting the parade. This scouts group is not only reserved to Christians, but also to Muslims.

The parade culminated in the Al-Manara square, where a car escorted by the Palestinian Authorities police delivered the Holy Fire from the Church of the Holy Sepulcure in Jerusalem. The Holy Fire has crossed Qalandia’s checkpoint before reaching the pilgrims in Ramallah. Due to the checkpoint and Israeli’s occupation of the West Bank, Palestinians weren’t allowed to travel freely to Jerusalem to attend celebrations.

According to the Orthodox tradition, the Holy Fire lights up Christ’s tomb every year on the day following his crucifixion. It is brought to the people by the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem.